Divorce Italian Style
Seen it?1961 | 104 min | Comedy, Crime
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won an Oscar and audiences rate it highly (7.9 out of 10). Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime fans and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Take the Money and Run, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 44 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1961: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Ferdinando Cefalù is desperate to marry his cousin, Angela, but he is married to Rosalia and divorce is illegal in Italy. To get around the law, he tries to trick his wife into having an affair so he can catch her and murder her, as he knows he would be given a light sentence for killing an adulterous woman. He persuades a painter to lure his wife into an affair, but Rosalia proves to be more faithful than he expected.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesStrong
7.9 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay. Won 6 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Foreign Film – Foreign Language, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Italian Golden Globe Awards: Best Film, Italian Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor and 2 more. Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Foreign Actor. Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival: Best Foreign Actress. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars, 3 more Golden Globes and 2 more BAFTAs. Plus 2 other awards.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 33K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Pietro Germi
- Marcello MastroianniFerdinando Cefalù
- Daniela RoccaRosalia Cefalù
- Stefania SandrelliAngela
- Leopoldo TriesteCarmelo Patanè
- Odoardo SpadaroDon Gaetano Cefalù
- Margherita GirelliSisina
- Angela CardileAgnese Cefalù
- Lando BuzzancaRosario Mulè
- Pietro TordiAttorney De Marzi
- Ugo TorrenteDon Calogero